This message was edited on
August 19, 2008 at
03:15:53 AM by team wright-one
not to jump the gun but i thought i would post something from a time racing still meant something in this area and to inform those who may not know, about this Johnny Key that we will pay tribute to on aug 29 at ocean speedway. Johnny Key is not just the name of a local race, it is the name of a man who helped to lay the groundwork for racing in this area. the number 7 that marshall and mike sargent ran for so many years was borrowed in tribute from marshalls friend, Johnny Key.
The Day They Remember Johnny Key
from the San Jose Mercury News August 1, 1976
by Bruce Richardson
Johnny Key Memorial History
Even headline writers, confronted almost daily with stories of his exploits, liked him. For one thing, his last name was handy for headlines-only three characters. But then apparently everything about Johnny Key, the auto racing driver from Salinas whose goal was Indianapolis, was pleasant.
Spectators, wherever he went racing hardtops and roadsters , revered him. Even Rival drivers displayed a great deal of admiration for him. His popularity was unusual considering his achievements. Certainly, he must have created some envy in 1952 while compiling a yet to be broken 53 feature race victories, including all seven contested in one week.
But according to Fresno's Al Pombo, who accumulated six NASCAR state championships before retiring several years ago, there was no animosity, only admiration. "Everybody had a lot of respect for him", said Pombo. "He was a heck of a person....just a real good person. Pombo, who was among the top drawing attractions right up until his retirement, said he doesn't clearly remember Key's celebrated victory binge of 1952. But it didn't surprise him. "He was always on top, kind of a class of his own. We used to race eight races in seven days back then. It just seemed like we had more time to do it.."
While Pombo seldom traveled very far out of state, Key's goals took him first to the Arizona grapefruit circuit and then East.
He never made it to Indianapolis.
A story published in an unidentified periodical dated July 9, 1954, places his fatal accident somewhere in the first week of July. He was killed when thrown out of a midget auto he was driving on a Cincinnati dirt track. The car had struck the outside guard rail.
The racing community in California was stunned, and out of the emotions of the time, emerged a plan for a memorial series that would perpetuate his name. It began on August 14th, 1954 and for seven years was run at the distance of 200 long and grueling laps around San Jose Speedway's high banked paved track. It is still an extremely popular event. The 23rd running of the classic will be staged Saturday at a distance of 150 laps. While most distance races in recent years have been divided into two or more segments, the Johnny Key Memorial will remain a genuine endurance test with no planned stops between the first and 150th go-rounds.
"That's the way it should be", asserted Pombo. "That race," he said proudly, "is one of the oldest of it's kind in the country. And the best."
"I'm sure going to try to be there." he emphasized. "You get to see a lot of old friends. The old-timers don't go to many races anymore. But they go to THAT race!"
Racing Wheels writer Bruce Crowley wrote this story...
1949, the promoter at San Jose Speedway, Bob Barkhimer, bought ten old cars from some auto wreckers, hired some drivers, converted the cars to the track, and called them Hardtops. They had the glass removed, seat belts installed, and painted (boy, they were horrible). He found some Hot Rod drivers (Roadster Racing) who agreed to race them. One of these young drivers was a guy named Johnny Key from Salinas. Key previously was a two-time champion in 1947 and 1948. Having Key lent some legitimacy to the new found class. You might say that Key was the key.
If you ever saw these race cars you would laugh. People would go to the races just to see the cars hit another, flip over, and keep on going. A four-door Packard was a fan favorite as the driver, Sid Plummer, would bounce off the crash-wall, hit into another car, spin around and still won the race. The fans went crazy. The champion that first season was a driver named Dave Carter. Second was Johnny Key. Key won the state championship in 1952 driving for Harry and Tony Goularte from Modesto. During that year Key set the all-time record in number of wins in a season. He won 54 features in the California Stock Car Racing Association sanction races plus another three in open comp races. He turned to Midget racing the following year and had plans of racing at Indianapolis. But it was not to be, as Key was killed during a AAA sanctioned race in Ohio. Barkhimer set up a Johnny Key Race for him within weeks. For the past 46 years this race has been held in his memory. Johnny was one of the best drivers ever to grace the tracks in the Bay Area. Thank you, Johnny, for the memories.
JOHNNY KEY MEMORIAL RACE WINNERS
1954 Danny Graves
1955 Al Pombo
1956 Clyde Palmer
1957 Ray Raineri
1958 Rick Henderson
1959 George Benson
1960 Marshall Sargent
1961 Clyde Palmer(2)
1962 Clyde Palmer(3)
1963 Marshall Sargent
1964 George Snider
1965 Burt Foland
1966 Burt Foland(2)
1967 Bill Scott
1968 Howard Kaeding
1969 Bill Scott(2)
1970 Don Epperson
1971 Everett Edlund
1972 Nick Rescino
1973 Howard Kaeding(2)
1974 Nick Rescino(2)
1975 Nick Rescino(3)
1976 Tony Ringo
1977 Danny O'Neill
1978 Johnny Brazil
1979 Howard Kaeding(3)
1980 Brent Kaeding
1981 Mike Sargent
1982 Nick Rescino(4)
1983 John Viel
1984 Nick Rescino(5)
1985 Rich Voss
1986 Nick Rescino(6)
1987 Howard Kaeding(4)
1988 Rod Spencer
1989 Scott Luhdorff
1990 Danny Olmstead
1991 Terry McCarl
1992 Scott Luhdorff(2)
1993 Chuck Miller
1994 Chuck Miller(2)
1995 Rick Martin
1996 Bud Kaeding
1997 Craig Smith
1998 Ronnie Day
1999 Eric Rossi
2007 Jason Statler
just a note. as of now there are five past Key race winners that have guaranteed starting spots in this years running of the Classic. BK, Bud, Cowboy, Ronnie Day and "The Big Guy" are all in. Eric Rossi will be trying to qualify through the B main and if he makes it that would be six past winners in the race. there are a father and son in the show (BK and Bud). the son and grandson of a former winner (again BK and Bud via Howard Kaeding) if Matt Sargent makes the show that will add another grandson from a former winner (Marshall Sargent) also we have the possibility of having brothers in the show (Ronnie and Kieth Day if Kieth can get in via B main). also the possibility of another son of a former winner in the show if Burt Foland jr can make the show. this goes to show just how much a part of the local racing heritige the Johnny Key race is. thanks to all who have a hand in presenting this race and who are planning to attend. the race has evolved a bit to fit comtemporary needs, but the meaning of the race should continue to be the same.
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